Printing onto materials gives an additional interaction between a unit dose product and the user of such a product. The desire for consumers to have customized or seasonal products is also addressed by the use of printing different graphics onto products.
METHOD® automatic dishwashing unit dose products having an ordered repeating pattern of white or gray trademarked symbols printed onto the water soluble film. WO 2007034471 A3 relates to a water-soluble detergent printed film comprising a film support and at least one print, being printed thereon and/or therein said film, said film is a water-soluble detergent adapted for effective cleansing of various human body and goods cleaning. WO 2007034471 also discusses a method of producing a water-soluble detergent printed film, comprising forming a detergent film; and, printing the same with at least one print. U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,785 relates to printing directly on water soluble film and more particularly to a method and apparatus for printing graphics and text directly on water soluble films while the film is in the process of being formed into a water soluble container by a packaging machine. JP 55-034966 relates to print on fruits with distortionless impressions without causing damage to them, by printing on water-soluble film, pasting the film on fruits by using adhesive, and then removing the film by dissolution.
It has been found that a randomized pattern is desired such that each unitized dose does not appear identical. A known process for making unit dose products is to utilize molds attached to a moving belt or other horizontal surface. A roll of water soluble material is placed into the molds and drawn into the molds. The molds having the water soluble material is then filled. A second water soluble material is then used to complete a unit dose product when it is placed on top of the filled mold and sealed to the first water soluble material. The area between the molds is then cut to form the individual unit dose products. Therefore a specific foot print or area is needed to make the unit dose product, the foot print area having a width that is less than the entire width of the water soluble material.
The creation of a randomized pattern to be applied to water soluble material originating from a roll proves to be difficult as graphics or indicia tend to be cut off or prevented from having the entire graphic presented during the formation of the unit dose product. It is undesired to have multiple graphics/indicia only to have less than one whole graphic/indicia present on the unit dose product.
It is therefore desired to have a process for placement of the graphic/indicia onto a water soluble material having a width such that resulting unit dose products formed from the water soluble material have at least two graphics/indicia that are complete and not cut off in visual appearance.